Rep. Bianca Virnig

Maddy summaryHF 2544 establishes a Dual Enrollment Task Force to analyze Minnesota's current funding formulas for dual enrollment programs (where high school students take college courses). The task force, composed of legislators, education officials, school representatives, and student advocates, will review how funding impacts high schools, colleges, and student access - especially for rural, low-income, and marginalized students - and identify cost variations across institutions. It must submit recommendations to lawmakers by May 30, 2026, on adjusting funding, improving equity, and supporting student services like transportation and counseling. The bill appropriates funds for the task force’s work through the Department of Education.

Maddy summaryHF 103 prohibits Minnesota government entities (like police or local agencies) from requesting or obtaining "reverse-location data" (information tracking device locations, such as cell tower pings or GPS) without a court order, except during declared emergencies. It bans using such data in criminal cases, prevents courts from issuing related orders, and stops government entities from seeking this data through informal requests. The bill also allows individuals to sue if government entities improperly obtain this location data. This directly affects law enforcement, government agencies, and tech companies holding location information.

Maddy summaryThis bill reenacts and modifies existing Minnesota laws regarding firearms, specifically addressing binary trigger devices and transfers to ineligible individuals. It maintains a ban on binary trigger activators effective from January 1, 2025, and updates penalties for transferring firearms to people who are legally prohibited from owning them. Additionally, the bill removes a legal defense that previously allowed family or household members to claim they were forced to transfer a firearm due to threats of violence. These changes apply to crimes committed after the bill is enacted, with the binary trigger ban also applying retroactively to offenses occurring since January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes pilot projects to modernize Minnesota's human services information technology systems, directing funding to counties and Tribes to improve system efficiency and reduce errors. It creates an advisory group composed of county representatives, social services administrators, and state officials to oversee and approve these projects, which may include using artificial intelligence tools, expanding data access, and simplifying case processing. The legislation requires a report by January 2028 detailing the funded projects, their outcomes, and recommendations for future system improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1,060,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to support the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership through the Office of Higher Education. The funding is intended to strengthen collaboration between early childhood education, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions across Minnesota. The money will be managed by the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education in accordance with existing state statutes. This appropriation aims to enhance educational continuity from preschool through postsecondary levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's immunization laws by clarifying definitions for schools and child care facilities and establishing new procedures for modifying the state immunization schedule. It requires the health commissioner to consult with medical organizations, educational leaders, and specific advocacy groups when proposing changes to vaccine requirements, while also mandating consideration of disease data, vaccine safety, and cost-benefit analyses. The legislation adds a requirement that public hearings be held within 60 days if requested by legislative committee chairs before any schedule modifications can be adopted. Additionally, the bill repeals an existing administrative rule related to immunization standards. These changes affect schools, child care providers, health officials, and vaccine administration across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Minnesota election officials to hold periodic design competitions for updating the "I VOTED" sticker used after voting. The sticker can be given to people who have cast a ballot in person, received an absentee ballot, or received a mail-in ballot. Any new design must only include the words "I VOTED" and cannot show political messages, candidate names, or policy positions. The law permits multiple winning designs from a single competition and does not change who receives the sticker or when it can be issued.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $200,000 from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to provide a grant to Helping Paws, Inc. for breeding, training, and placing service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, veterans and first responders with service-related PTSD, and professionals working in courthouse, educational, and mental health settings. The funding is designated as a one-time honorarium in memory of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. The commissioner of health may also accept private donations to supplement the state appropriation, with all such funds deposited in a dedicated account that expires on July 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the range of services that school-based health centers in Minnesota can provide, adding options like care coordination, home visits for students unable to attend school, and support groups for trauma recovery. It also requires the state health commissioner to distribute stabilization grants of up to $50,000 per center for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to help these facilities improve telehealth services, upgrade health record systems, and assist uninsured students. The legislation appropriates $2.7 million annually from the state general fund to support these grants, technical assistance, and program administration, with an additional $2.7 million added to the program's permanent funding base for 2028 and 2029.

Maddy summaryHF 3239 prohibits using "conscientiously held beliefs" as an exemption for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations in Minnesota schools and child care facilities. It directly affects parents or guardians of children aged 15 months or older who previously relied on this exemption to avoid MMR shots for enrollment. The bill requires these parents to provide either proof of vaccination (meeting medical standards) or a medical exemption statement by August 1, 2026, to keep their child enrolled in schools, preschools, or licensed child care programs. This replaces the existing personal belief exemption for MMR vaccines, which will no longer be valid after the effective date. The law amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.15, specifically adding subdivision 3c.